A Special Status for Historic Homes
The verzwaarde puntentelling, which translates to 'weighted' or 'aggravated' points system, is a special provision within the Dutch housing valuation system (Woningwaarderingsstelsel). It is specifically designed for properties that are officially designated as national monuments (rijksmonumenten). The standard points system, which is based heavily on modern criteria like energy efficiency and standardized room sizes, would often result in a very low point score, and thus a very low legal rent, for these historic buildings. This would make it financially unviable for owners to rent them out, given the extremely high costs associated with maintaining a protected monumental property in accordance with strict heritage regulations.
To address this, the weighted system was introduced. For a designated rijksmonument built before 1945, the law allows for a 50% surcharge to be added to the points awarded for the surface area of the rooms. Furthermore, an additional 50 points can be awarded for the property's historical character. These extra points significantly boost the property's total score, often pushing it above the liberalization threshold and into the free sector, or at least allowing for a much higher regulated rent. This provides the owner with a higher rental income to help offset the extraordinary costs of preserving the nation's architectural heritage.
A Niche but Important Rule
The verzwaarde puntentelling is a niche rule that applies to a very small and specific segment of the rental market. It is not relevant for the vast majority of rental properties. However, for a tenant considering renting a home in a beautiful, historic canal house in Amsterdam, for example, this rule can be highly relevant. It helps to explain why the rent for such a property might be legally much higher than a standard points calculation would suggest. The property's status as a rijksmonument grants it access to this more generous calculation. A tenant in such a property who wants to check their rent would need to be aware of this special rule to perform an accurate estimate. The weighted system is a pragmatic solution to a real problem, balancing the goals of tenant protection with the practical necessities of heritage preservation.
